Locution-Ectomy – Part 1

I’m going to start a new semi-regular feature here that I’m calling my locution-ectomy… or, the removal of certain words from my vocabulary.

Odd? Yes.

locution = a word, ectomy (from the Greek), meaning to surgically remove. While surgery may seem like a strong word to use, when attempting to stop using words that one has commonly used for a long time, it can feel like surgery!

I’ve mentioned in a couple of previous posts that I’m a bit of a word-nerd… I love the root-meanings of words… I love discovering the real meanings of words… I try to use the RIGHT words to best communicate the RIGHT things. With all of that, I have also come to dislike some words and thus, am attempting to stop using them ever again. There are words that have multiple meanings and/or implications… there are instances where I will attempt to remove certain forms of words. For my inaugural post in this category, I submit the following:

lucky — adj. “occurring by chance”

Honestly, this is a word that has bothered me for many years… especially when it comes to those of us that follow Christ. What is the value of wishing some one “good luck” in God’s economy? …or to tell some one that your good fortune was merely the result of being lucky that particular day?

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)

Why would you ever call something good in your life the product of being lucky when we have this simple scripture that says that the good thing is yours because of God? I realize that I may be viewed as legalistic where this one is concerned; that is not my intention at all… I just want to give God glory whenever I can, so I won’t minimize something good in my life by inferring that it occurred by chance… I firmly believe that if God can know the ever-shrinking number of hairs on my head that he is involved with every detail of my life… again, I want to use the RIGHT words to communicate the RIGHT things, so I will give the credit to whom it is due.